Last.



PATENTED JAN. 22, 1907. J. J. SMITH.

LAST.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB.17, 1906.

2 SHBETSSHEET l.

No. 841,732. PATENT'ED JAN. 22, 1907.

J. J. SMITH.

LAST.

'APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 17, 1906.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. 1

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 22, 1907.

Application filed February 17, 1906- Serial No. 301.580.

To all whom it may concern:

, the same with the instep-block in place.

latter is formed thereon.

Fig. 3 shows the instep-block with the attached filler. Fig. 4 shows thefiller itself. Figs. 5 and 6 show one modification of my invention. Fig.7 shows a plan view of another modification.

In the manufacture of boots and shoes it is desirable that the waist ofthe shoe, being the part between the ball and the instep, should 'beformed so as to grip the waist of the foot and receive the forwardthrust of the foot within the shoe, while at the same time the ballshould be made large to allow the foot to spread at that point, as itnaturally will in walking. Ordinarily, however, this is not attainable,because in making the shoe it is necessary to have a working last thatcan be readily withdrawn from the shoe after the With the construc tionreferred to the ball of the last becomes so much larger than the waistthat it is difficult or impossible to withdraw the last after the shoehas been formed if it is of the proper shape to give the required roomfor the ball of the foot andtogether therewith the gripping fit aroundthe waist of the foot. As a consequence in the ordinary shoe thefoot inwalking is free to slide forward and the thrust upon the shoe is takenup by the toes, which leads to many troubles. When attempts are made toavoid this, it usually con sists in making a broad and clumsy-shapedshoe, which is not a fitting shoe, but simply one too large for thefoot.

My invention consists in a working last, by which I mean the originalshaping-last for boots, shoes, and other footwear, which is madetransversely collapsible, so that the ball of the shoe may be made largeenough to give the freedom required. by the foot at that point andpermit the removal of the last from the completed shoe to be effected bythe collapse of the last at the ball. Morethe leather to give the shoeits permanent form is going on the last is held securely in its normalshape. The construction of the last is also one which is cheap andsimple and adapted for use in large factories, where great numbers oflasts are employed. It also can be made by the same methods and machinesas are now used in the manufacture of lasts, thus avoiding the necessityof expensive changes in the present practice of last-makmg.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A in Fig. 1 represents a last ofthe shape I have describedviz., one in which the ball is madeconsiderably larger than the waist, so that after the shoe is completed.it will be difficult to withdraw the last except for the expedientcontemplated by my invention. The last is slotted longitudinally fromthe toe to the instep, leaving a space of oneover, while the stretchingand attachJng of quarter of an inch or thereabout, between the twolateral halves of the last. The space, however, may be made larger orsmaller, according to requirements. This slot at its in ner endterminates in a circular hole B, the effect of which is to remove enoughof the material of the last at that point to allow the separated partsto spring together suffithe slot shown in Fig. 1 and otherwise shaped sothat when inserted in the said slot it will come into alinement with theexternal surface of the last at all points. In other words, it may betermed a filler, which when in place will occupy the space formed by theslot aforesaid. Preferably I make the filler C of metal, as a simpleplate of brass or iron, having the form shown in Fig. 4, butmay make itof wood or in any other desired manner. The shape of the filler, it willbe observed, is such that it will constitute a slightly-curved extensionof the instep-block, so that it can be withdrawn from the com leted shoeby lifting the rear end of the bloc r, as is the comman practice anddrawing it upward and backward without-causing the filler to bind on thetop or the sole of the shoe. The in step-block is then split for acertain distance back from the front edge and the two forks indicated inFig. 2.

opposite sides of the filler, so that the filler and the instep-blocktogether have the ap pearance indicated in Fig. 3. I may,. however, usebut a single rivet L (shown in dott-ed lines) and allow the filler toturn on the z rivet, which gives a omted connection of the block is inplace, a section of the last taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 will havethe appearance In the use of'this last the instep-block will be put inplace and the shoe built up around the last in the usual manner. When itis completed and it is desired to withdraw the last, the instep-block isfirst removed in the usual way and together with it the filler C. Thelast itself will then be free to collapse in a transverse direction, sothat it can be withdrawn from the shoe in spite of the ball being largerthan the waist. To facilitate the withdrawal of the filler, it may belubricated by powdered French chalk, soapstone, or similar material, andif need be it can be made thinner toward the toe, thus having a taperingthickness, which will permit it to be readily removed.

In some cases it has been found that the mere springing together of thetwo halves of the last by the construction shown in Fig. 1 is inadequateto give the necessary contraction of the last to permit it to be easilywithdrawn through the waist of the shoe. In such cases I may employ theconstruction shown in Figs. 5 and 6, wherein the shape of the last andthe combination therewith of the instep-block and filler are the same asin the form already described, but the lower portion E is completelysevered from the main body of the last and then secured thereto by a pinF, which is firmly seated in the body of the last, but at its outer endpasses loosely througha hole in the part E and then has on its outer endan expanded head, which will prevent the complete detachment of the partE from the remainder of the last. By this construction the part E afterthe filler is withdrawn can slide on the pin F in a direction at rightangles to the longitudinal aXis of the last close up to the remainder ofthe last, as shown in Fig. 6, and thereby make such a decided reductionin the ball measure that it may be readily removed from the shoe. Withthis construction any suitable substitute for the pin F as an attachingmeans may be employed, and I may have the movable section either on theinside of the last, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, or on the outside, as inthe modification shown in Fig. 7, which also illustrates a hinge O inplace of the pin F, said hinge serving to support the movable part E inthe plane of the opposite part. The hinge also allows the front end ofthe part E to cant at an angle to the fixed part and somewhatfacilitates the insertion of the filler, an effect which requires anenlargement of the hole for the pin F in the form shown in Figs. 5 and6. In Fig. 7 the preponderance of width at the ball is made very plainto the eye. In all the forms of my invention here shown one side of theball is integral with the heel. In Fig. 1 both sides are integral, whilein the other forms one side is a separate piece transversely movable asa whole. This integral construction is not essential to the invention,but it makes a very strong last and is preferred.

Various other modifications are possible. For example, instead of havingthe instepblock M removable it may be incorporated with the last and thefiller O alone made removable, as will be readily understood; but aremovable instep-block is preferred, since it serves to give verticalsupport to the movable fore-part section E during the leveling and otheroperations performed upon the lasted shoe. Other specific embodiments ofmy invention may be made, it being understood that whatever may be thespecific form assumed by the invention I desire to claim herein aworking last (by which I mean a last to be used in the manufacture offootwear to support and give shape to the article formed thereon) whichis collapsible transversely, so that the ball of the last can be madelarger in lateral dimension than has been heretofore feasible and canstill be withdrawn through the smaller dimensions of the waist of theshoe, the. last having means for making it solid against lateral strainwhile in place.

It may be added that by my invention it becomes possible to make a shoewith the described enlargement of the ball which will still have astylish and well-fitting appearance. The last I have devised will actlike the foot itself, which can be more or less compressed at the ballso as to pass through the waist of the shoe, but when in the shoe tendsto spread out laterally, particularly when subjected tothe weight of thewearer. This last is distinguished from ordinary split followers, secondlasts, and divided tree-feet, which cannot be used as original lasts;but nevertheless it is possible to use my last a second time in the sameshoe, and thus do away with a follower, particularly in McKaysewedshoes, where the first last must be removed to admit the horn of thesewing-machine. After that operation is completed {ny last can bereinserted instead of a second ast.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A shoe-forming last with permanentlyconnected fore and heel parts,said last being larger at the ball than at the waist and trans verselycollapsible at the ball, and provided with means for maintaining thefore part unyieldingly in its normal shape during the shaping process,said means controllable without removal of the last from its position inthe shoe.

2. A shoe-forming last with heel part and one side of the fore part.integral with each other, said last being divided longitudinally ,tomake it laterally collapsible at the ball,-

and provided with'a filler intervening between the divided parts andconforming to the sectional outline of the last so as to preserve anunbroken lasting-surface when the filler is in position between theparts, said filler being removable by sliding it between the dividedparts while the last is in the shoe.

3. A shoe-forming last larger at the ball than at the waist and dividedlongitudinally at the ball to provide a lateral yield, said last havingan unyielding filler intervening between the parts of the last andremovable from the last through the shoeopening.

4. A filler-section for a divided shoe-last shaped to correspond to alongitudinal vertical section of the fore part of the last and of suchshape and dimensions as to permit its removal from the last through theshoe-openi). A shoe-last divided longitudinally at the ball and providedwith an intervening ing-strip corresponding in shape at its forward endto the sectional outline of the divided last and removable from the lastthrough the shoe-openin 8. A shoe-last divided longitudinally at itsforward end, and provided with an'instepblock having on its under side aprojecting part intervening between the divided forward parts of thelast to maintain them separated but removable from the last together 5with the instep-block through the shoe-openlng.

9. A shoe-last divided longitudinally at the ball, and means forunyieldingly separating or collapsing the divided parts at will, 6 saidmeans being operable while the entire last is in position in the shoe.

10. A shoe-forming last collapsible transversely at the ball, a fillerfor separating the collapsing portions and removable therefrom 6 whilethe last is in the shoe, and an instepblock attached tosaid filler andoverlying the collapsing part so as to give vertical support thereto. I

11. A shoe-forming last having an entire 7 heel part, one side of a forepartintegral therewith, the other side of the fore part being a separatepiece transversely movable with respect to the integral side, andadjustabdle means for unyieldingly separating said 7 si es.

12. A shoe-forming last having an entire heel part, one side of a forepart integral therewith, and the other side of the fore part hinged tothe body of the last on an upright 3 axis, combined with a removableunyielding filler intervening between said sides for holding themseparated.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of twosubscribing 8 Witnesses, the 16th day of February, 1906.

JOSEPH J. SMITH.

Witnesses:

R. M. PrERsoN, L. T. SHAW.

